How to Talk to Kids About Racism

These illustrations were produced in 2018 as part of a collaborative book project called “Power Means Who the Police Believe: Talking with Three Year Olds about Race and Racial Violence” written by Emma Redden. Along with six other artists, I helped to create infographics, character drawings, and scenery images that are scattered throughout this nearly 180 page book. The final project is still in development and evolving. This page is a documentation of my work on the project so far:

Illustration of three tall sunflower stalks.

Illustration of two young white children playing with blocks.

Illustration of a young black girl playing with blocks.

Illustration of a white teacher crouching down to speak with her students.

A teacher sits on the floor speaking to one of her young students who is coloring on a sheet of paper.

A white teacher speaks to a group of young students who are seated in a circle on the ground. An easel behind her reads "Tell us one thing about yourself."

Illustrated infographic. Reads: "Only 42.4% of black people owned homes in 2016 (compared with 71.9% of white people). People of color in the U.S. are exposed to a 38% higher level of nitrogen dioxide than white people. Black families hold only 2.6% of national wealth in the U.S. (compared to white families who hold 90% of wealth.)

Illustrated infographic. Reads "Black people are 13% of the general population and 40% of the prison population. Black men are 7 times more likely than white men to die by police while unarmed. Black students are more likely to be suspended."

Illustrated Infographic. Reads: "African Americans are twice as likely to be unemployed. 67% of doctors have a bias against African American patients. Black drivers are 30% more likely to be pulled over."

Illustration of two white children surrounded by scenes of race-based discrimination from everyday life. They see a book with all-white characters, a cop car parked by railroad tracks in a segregated city, a grandmother who says "I don't really see color", and a black man working as a janitor as a white professional woman walks by.

Watercolor illustration of a quote by Chenjerai Kumanyoka. Reads "For people who are about transformative change... We're trying to become something this country has never been." Behind his portrait, a black man breaks open the W in the text "We the People."

Illustration of a white woman climbing a ladder into the sky. She carries a backpack full of dollar bills, and wears a suit. She appears distressed. On the ground beneath are homes and a garden, with the words "beloved community" written in the dirt. She is surrounded by birds in the sky. They are labeled: "ostracism from others; isolation; loss of authentic sense of self; shame and guilt; distorted view of self; denial of emotion and empathy; spiritual emptiness and pain."